Screen Name

The email address/password you submitted is wrong or could not be found. Please try again. If you are not a member of the FIFA.com Club, please register first.

The email address/password you submitted is wrong or could not be found. Please try again. If you are not a member of the FIFA.com Club, please register first.

This Facebook account is already present

Your Club account has been locked due to a breach of our Terms of Service. Please set up a new account in line with the Club rules. Review the Club Rules. Alternatively, you can email us by completing our contact form.

Please enter a valid email address

The email address/password you submitted is wrong or could not be found. Please try again. If you are not a member of the FIFA.com Club, please register first.

History of FIFA - A New Era

From the moment the South American Confederation, the
Confederación Sudamericana de Fútbol, presented his candidature for
the FIFA Presidency in 1970, Dr João Havelange had looked for
solutions to the major problems of world football. When the
Brazilian was elected at the 39th Congress in 1974, he was ready to
consider football not only as a competition but also to try and
find new ways and means of promoting technical development
worldwide.

Havelange's installation in FIFA's headquarters heralded
the dawn of a new era. Previously, with survival dependent almost
exclusively on FIFA World Cup™ proceeds in four-yearly intervals,
the world governing body had been somewhat conservative when it
came to taking decisions. In no time, Havelange transformed an
administration-oriented institution into a dynamic enterprise
brimming with new ideas and the will to see them through.

The actual address in Zurich, home to FIFA since 1932, did not
alter but beside the Derwald Villa on the Zurichberg, which in 1974
housed a staff of just 12, a modern office building now rose
housing almost 100 employees coming to grips with an ever
increasing workload.

Back in 1974, FIFA was flexing its muscles in readiness for the
tenth FIFA World Cup, which was very much a trial of strength
between Europe with nine teams and South America with four. The
ripples created by political upheavals, particularly in Africa
where many former colonies had been granted independence, were
beginning to be noticed on the international sports scene. At that
time Africa, Asia, and CONCACAF were each still sending one
selection each to the world football showpiece. For the 1982 FIFA
World Cup in Spain, Havelange duly increased the table of
competitors from 16 to 24 teams.

Since that decision, the unqualified success of teams that were
once derided as also-rans has reinforced Havelange's notion
that his policies were right. For the 1998 finals in France, the
field was increased again to 32 finalists, allowing even greater
participation from all the confederations.

On a political level, Havelange firmly followed the course of
appeasement and service, following the principle of universality to
which FIFA has committed itself. Under his leadership, the FIFA
offices became the hub of sporting diplomacy. One notable example
of this was when representatives from Iraq, Iran, the two Koreas,
Japan and Saudi Arabia came face to face in Zurich in July 1993 to
discuss the Asian final qualifying round for USA 94 in an
atmosphere of friendship and peace.

Havelange had already shown his flair for taking advantage of
the conciliatory potential of football at exactly the right moment.
After intense diplomatic activity - the Brazilian visited every
association at least once- he smoothed the way for the People's
Republic of China to return to FIFA. In 1991 the two Koreas sent a
joint team to the FIFA World Youth Championship in Portugal. And
because of its particular situation, Israel began competing with
European teams in all FIFA qualifying competitions.